Crossandra-Harvest and storage

Crossandra flowers within two to three months after planting. The flowering continues throughout the year except rainy months. Depending on the length of spike, it takes nearly 15-25 days to complete flowering on a spike.

Harvesting of flowers is to be done on alternate days. The fully opened flowers remain fresh on the plant for about three days and when picked they fade in 36-48 hours.

Flowers are to be picked early in the morning by pulling the corolla out of the calyx. The flowers are packed in wet cloth or gunny bags before marketing.

After the flowering is over, the spent spikes are removed.